Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday (25th November) made a shocking statement in the state Assembly, saying that singer Zubeen Garg’s death was not an accident but a case of “murder.”
The popular 52-year-old singer and composer died on 19th September in Singapore while swimming in the sea during a yacht trip. His death was initially seen as a mysterious accident, but the Chief Minister has now claimed that the investigation has revealed something far more serious.
While speaking in Assam Assembly during an adjournment motion moved by the opposition, Sarma said that the Assam Police, after its preliminary investigation, was convinced that it was “plain and simple murder.” He claimed that one person directly killed Zubeen Garg and others assisted in the act. According to him, four to five people are now being booked in the murder case.
Our #BelovedZubeen was murdered. The accused will face the wrath of the law. pic.twitter.com/KbT347mojB
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 25, 2025
Garg had travelled to Singapore to take part in the North East India Festival (NEIF). Soon after the news of his death spread, more than 60 complaints were filed across Assam, demanding a thorough investigation. In response, the state government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the CID to probe the case. Apart from this, a one-man inquiry commission headed by Justice Soumitra Saikia of the Gauhati High Court was also formed to independently examine what happened.
A few days after the SIT began its probe, several people close to Zubeen were arrested. These included NEIF organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, his two band members, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amit Prabha Mahanta, and his cousin Sandipan Garg, who is a senior Assam Police officer. His two personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, were also arrested after investigators discovered financial transactios of over ₹1.1 crore in their bank accounts.
All seven accused are now in judicial custody. They have been charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence.
The Chief Minister said that the SIT will soon submit a “watertight chargesheet” and claimed that the motive behind Garg’s killing will “shock the people of the state.” He added that after the chargesheet is filed in December, the investigation will widen to include offences like negligence and criminal breach of trust.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Police Force is carrying out its own independent investigation into the death. The judicial commission in Assam has also extended the deadline for recording statements and submitting evidence to 12th December, after beginning the process on 3rd November.
